Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

I hope everyone suffering from the Horrors of Hyperemesis will find this thread useful as a source of support and information.
There's no TMI on here - can't be by definition - and nobody should feel ashamed of moaning as much as they feel the need to.

MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
Another invaluable website is:
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

If you need help in obtaining medication, this phone number is
brilliant:
024 7638 2020

Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
links.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy#!scenario

I would like to thank everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

Oh opalescent I hope that your DS goes easy on you! I'm lucky in the sense that this is DC1 (probably DC1 and only the way I feel at the moment!) I am in awe of those of you who can look after other small humans whilst dealing with HG. In answer to your questions:

1. I had 7 weeks off, flat out in bed/ in hospital. Went back to work about a month ago and am aiming to do 3 mornings a week (I am on a full time contract so this is a massive reduction). 3 mornings is all I can cope with at the moment, whenever I try to up it I am incredibly unwell again. I need to do 4 mornings this coming week to attend a board meeting and am dreading the extra already! These things can't be missed though, especially in light of Brexit.

2. ondansetron- I was told that the risk of cleft palate was increased sightly, but otherwise it is considered safe. I'm not sure how true this advice is- I haven't delved deeper because I didn't want to scare myself, and to be honest the side effects of any medication can sound scary- it's the frequency that side effects are experienced in that matters, and whether the benefit outweighs the risk. I told my consultant that I was reluctant to take it, and he said it was my choice, but the danger to the baby was so much higher with the ketotic state I was in than it would be if I was medicated and keeping down fluids and food. I'm sure that someone more knowledgeable than me will be along shortly to help with more information though!

Thanks Fresh, right back atcha

opalescent Welcome. I can't really add to the great advice you've had. As others say, do invest in some kesostix to check for the early signs of dehydration and do ask for different meds as those have had long enough to start helping. Do you find sipping flat coke, ice lollies, soda water, the juice of tinned fruit, Elderflower water or jelly any use? Sugary and salty things seem often best, such as chips or crisps. Someone recently mentioned cornflakes. That rang a bell...
Rae I, too, have no idea how people manage to look after a toddler or horrors, two small children, with this. Medals all round for those who do!
Fresh Fleas!!!!???? The horror, the horror....Much sympathy.
Waves to all...

opulescent
Sorry, you wanted a link discussing safety of meds . Here's a good one
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/help/treatments/#2
I hope that helps.

What a lovely end supportive thread!! Thank you all for the information you have given me.

I do find icy and salty things best, but in truth I haven't really found anything that 'helps' yet. I only actually get some relief when I am physically eating, but as soon as I've finished I remember how unwelcome everything feels in my stomach.

Luckily ds has been gorgeous tonight, and I have a very helpful and supportive partner.

Especially finding this tough as I normally adore food!! It's one of my greatest pleasures in life and I'm really missing planning and eating gorgeous things!

Off to the Drs in the morning, and I'll also order some ketone sticks.
Hope you all have a happy and healthy week.

Hi opalescent good luck at the docs. It is indeed hard to parent when you're suffering!! I was signed off by GP at 16 wks ish I think, they were OK about it but I had to get signed off week by week which I found stressful, and (perhaps in my head) felt GP didn't totally believe me! (Kept saying I 'should' have stopped being sick by now... Despite me saying it lasted throughout first pregnancy). I attempted a return to work which had disastrous consequences and then was signed off by consultant for the rest of the pregnancy at around 25 wks. I think a lot depends on your job and employer and what you/your boss wants, what your commute is like and whether things like working part time or from home are feasible. For me I wasn't much use to them unless I could be working properly, and it was clear that working and being in office exacerbated my symptoms. Sorry if that sounds doom and gloom, many people experience a good improvement in second/third trimesters and can return to work, I'm just not one of them!

On Ondansetron, lucinda has given you link to preg sickness support website, you may also want to read last week's RCOG guidelines on it - www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/gtg69/

Ive been taking since 12 weeks and am comfortable with it, as is my consultant. I believe that the most risk is in that first trimester, which is one reason to try other drugs first. I 'managed' the first trimester without anti-emetics, but if I'd been in danger with dehydration I would have taken them (my sickness got markedly worse at 11w so prior to that it was bad, but not emergency situation).

Back soon. Good night all x

Big hello to opalescent I was signed off quite near the start of pregnancy (can't remember when) for over 6 weeks. Then started slow phased return and was only back for about 3 'full' weeks (only work 3 days a week!) Before sickness took a turn for the worst in 3rd trimester and I'm off again! I find it very depressing but am lucky work are very supportive. I've been there a long time and they view this time (now and may leave) as a short time in total career wise which helps a lot. I also love food and sympathise- have often eaten something because it just looks too good and regretted it immediately (melted cheese being the worst decision...don't do that!) Ondansetron is the only thing this pregnancy that has helped me stop throwing up water/acid constantly. The level of dehydration I suffer from even with it at the moment isn't good, without it isn't healthy or helpful for me or baby... don't know if that helps?

fresh also squirming at fleas...very high temp wash for everything?

rae I felt like that after first horrible pregnancy and even more horrible birth. I remember 24h after giving birth coming home and my mum mentioning something about number 2. I actually sobbed! Yet here I am...

Really sorry ladies can't see back any more posts and really need to try and get back to sleep. Woke up with the most agonising cramp in my leg. Woke dh up and cried as he managed to stretch it out. Need a wee but can't face getting out of bed...being dehydrated makes this all so hard. Apologies for 3am moan. On the plus side extension is looking great with furniture and dh and I reclaimed the front room as an adult space which is AMAZING! For 2 years it has been gradually filled with child related clutter and now we have a sanctuary!

couldn't resist a quick skim to check I hadn't missed anyone

lucy you can't force me to spend a fortune on new dresses and then not share if you found anything nice 😉

lucinda thank you. I do try and do too much on a regular basis however am getting better at saying no and accepting help when offered. I am very lucky with dh being so good! He's just glad the mammoth painting job is done!

fresh yes to doing too much setting me back. Often rest is the best (and only) solution to feeling human. Hence the reason I've been signed off so much. Normally after a few weeks I feel vaguely ok and then think I should go back, only to find a few hours work wipes me out! Vicious cycle that I have accepted means I am unlikely to work properly again this pregnancy.

Morning all. Afraid I was too lazy last night to look back to prev pages but yes fresh I quite agree with ickle that overdoing it (= trying to live life normally) makes me worse. In my case it's looking after DD on my own for several days in a row that usually does this, which is v upsetting 😟
Ketones were still raised last night, so exhausted I fell asleep in bath after DH got DD out. I've got to decide whether to go in for fluids again. Will have to get out of bed and attempt a wee to see how they are this morning. Sigh. Don't want to but also know it would make me feel a lot better.

I can't rem if I mentioned the Complan to you ladies? It's a nutritional shake thing, you add powder to milk to make a milkshake, consultant recommended I try seeing as milkshakes often stay down, had another yest and felt much better after. Maybe worth considering for those who can stomach milk and aren't keeping much else down. Oh also, I had to stop the lucozade as realised the caffeine in it was making me feel awful and wobbly (took a while to realise as I often feel like that!). I've discovered flat 7 UP is much better for a sugary drink and it's caffeine free.

ickle great to hear re extension! Our house is the same - kitchen extension is toy land and we have 'adult' front room... That we hardly ever go in, lol!! Maybe when I'm not an awful HG wife we can start to enjoy it again in the evenings 😊

Sorry to hear about leg cramps - I have been getting these too, they're awful! Prob worse due to our dehydration, salt helps so maybe eat some crisps today?! Pilates teacher taught us to slowly bend and flex feet/toes to reduce leg cramps (hard to explain - sit with legs out in front and work through each part of your foot as you flex it - start by curling toes under). That prob makes no sense without a demo, sorry!

Sympathies to the foodies that have this. I'll admit I'm not that fussed about food (apart from chocolate) so I don't feel as hard done by on that front, but even so I miss eating (esp in restaurants) and hate being so unhealthy. Now I'm nearing the end I'm panicking that I can't remember how to eat normally or what I used to cook etc!!

Morning ,
Thanks to everyone for their advice. I have emailed the bosses this morning to ask them to get cover for me. I can't work from home any more! Terrified of their reactions. It is the companies busiest 8 weeks starting from today and I probably have the most work to do.

Need to get a sick note asap!

Opal In terms of signing off, I'm an NHS worker too and my GP has been happy to sign me off. In the NHS you're at least working for a big organisation with a HR department, so even if your managers are a bit funny about it, there's not a lot they can do. I was signed off for two and a half months from about week 5/6 and I'm laboratory based. If you're patient facing, I can imagine that's even harder to manage with all the vomiting and retching.

Also, ondansetron is fine. I did worry too (I think it's mothers instinct to worry about everything) but my DH is a GP and was more than happy for me to take it (it was his suggestion I ask for it). He said it's very widely prescribed on hospital wards, just less so by GPs. I did still have my wobbles about it though!

Waves to Ickle, Rae, Mrs, Lucy, Lucinda and everyone else.

First day of mat leave! Had a nice weekend camping with a group of DHs friends and all their small children. I'm really looking forward to meeting my baby!

I must be feeling better at the moment, as DH and I have been discussing number 2. We've come to the conclusion that we need either a very small age gap (i.e. pregnant while still on mat leave) so that older baby doesn't remember if I'm unwell again, or we wait until baby is at school before trying again. What have other people done?

Yes discovering fleas on holiday grossed me out!!! We shook out everything before packing then bought flea spray and emptied entire contents of car onto the garden and all clean clothes shook out and put in hot tumble then kept bag of clothes to wash outside and wiped down and hoovered everything from the car and sprayed flea spray into the car. It took us several hours to do all that and it exhausted me! I really really hope none have come back with us!!!! My day of resting yesterday did help, feeling a bit better today but have been more nauseous. Took four year old to preschool this morning, MIL is picking her up afterwards, have physio for my spd at 11:45 and midwife check up at 2pm think that's all I can handle today! Hugs to all xx

Hello, I haven't been on in a while - hope everyone is doing ok- will have a read to catch up. I'm 36+5 and we've just been told the baby is breeched has anyone else had this and if so what were their experiences? (I know it's not directly linked to hyperemesis but wondered if anyone else had had both?!) the pressure from the head makes it difficult to do anything and seems to make nausea worse at times!

Hi everyone. Sorry for being awol for a while. Been so crazy busy at work, having worked 11/14 the last two weeks (usually 8) but just put my out of office on and not in now for the rest of the week. Quite a few people told me I looked unwell again on Friday and Saturday so those of you who asked about tiredness making things worse, I totally agree.

Haven't had chance to go through the last few pages properly but welcome to those who are new. I hope medication starts to work soon, and don't be afraid to take time off work. Personally I had 7 weeks off and another 4 on phased return after that plus if I'm having a bad day I still work from home. Now 25 weeks and suffering the heartburn acid voms. Going to try and make an appointment at the docs this week to get something stronger than gaviscon.

Hi to special, hope you are thoroughly enjoying your first day of maternity leave. I would say in terms of ha ring DC2, it was/is extremely hard looking after a toddler with HG. However, he doesn't seem to be any worse for my disappearance for weeks when I was in bed or in hospital. But it is very tiring and even though family have been amazing, there are times you just have to get on with it and it's hard when your feeling knackered and sick. I'm not sure it would have been easier to have had two very close together as babies are equally as hard, but at the same time we wouldn't have wanted to wait another few years for DS to go to school either.

Hi to ickle, rae, lucinda, mrsmonkey and anyone else I've rudely missed.

ickle soooo glad to hear about the sanctuary!! Hope you're ok today. R.e potential DC2, it's not just me that's the problem, DH says he can't watch me go through this again. I reckon we'll both forget really quickly though!! R.e. Cramps- mrsmonkey has already said it but salt will help. Lucozade always sorts me out.

mrsmonkey are you ok? Having fluids? You did mention complan, I have parked that knowledge away to use if needed.

Vixx hope the response to your email was ok.

Special enjoy mat leave! As per my comments above, the thought of a second pregnancy fills me with dread 😱

Fresh glad you're feeling better today.

Snow I'm not much help but I'm sorry about the breech position. It's the last thing you need!

Sleepy I hope you haven't overdone things! Make sure you get some rest when you can.

Hi all, just a quick update. I saw a lovely and very switched on gp today. She checked my urine etc and I was reassured to know that I am not ketotic. As the cyclizine didn't work for me, she has prescribed prochlorperazine to try next?? Any experiences with this one? She also signed me off work, for two weeks if I need it. I hope I don't need it!!!

Opal that's what I'm on. It's stopped me being sick constantly although still being sick after eating and drinking water. First week or so I was dizzy and light headed. Makes me very tired but that could be pregnancy also.

Vixx that sounds like a nightmare how many weeks are you? I was warned by the gp that I might find it a bit sedating, I've just taken my first one so fingers crossed I see a bit of improvement..

It is better than how I was feeling before but still not great. I'm off work now.
Definitely sedating. I'm 9 weeks 4 days.

opalescent I'm so glad that you're on something else- i haven't tried it so can't offer any advice though, sorry. Make sure that you take the time off you need. Get yourself 'right' so that you can cope when you go back.

Thank you Rae very relieved to find that the Dr took me seriously! In fact she told me that she had HG in both her pregnancies, to varying extents.
I'm getting my head around the idea of accepting the rest time, rather than feeling guilty for not rushing around.

Opalescent So glad you had the good luck to have a doctor who had Hyperemesis and was helpful; a couple of lucky people on these threads have had that, and it makes such a difference.
SleepymrsE Mother Hen clucks, shocked that you have been so overdoing it. Do try and rest.
icklekid The coming party sounds lovely. Melted cheese - aagh - everyone, avoid pasta bake at nearly all costs .
Rae Interesting that Lucozade works for that.
Freshbreadandfaith What a thing to have to deal with when suffering from this.
Snowy I know people on this thread have had breech babies turn quite late. I'm trying to remember if eallison was one?
mrsmonkey I was so pleased for you when the consultant signed you off. Complan is a great idea.
Vixxxfacee I hope you have got your sick note. I'm glad you are going to refuse to work from home until you're a lot better.
SpecialStains Congratulations on first day of mat leave.
I hope Lucy and everyone is OK.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

opal I think prochlorperazine is stemetil? I had that in first pregnancy but just took the edge off. Now on onsansetron which is working better for me and avamine at night which is promethazine I think, I found that one sedating in the day. Glad you have some meds that are helping xx

Well I am done. I tried to do lots of little jobs around the house yesterday. I am so ill today. Very sick last night the slept until ds woke me screaming at 5am. He didn't really stop being an overtired mess until I took him to childminders this morning. I am going to try and tidy up a bit but that is the extent of my aspirations for today 😥

opalescent Don't feel guilty any other illness and you wouldn't feel bad for taking the time to recover!

vixx you will feel human again...soon. Just take it slow and steady

rae other than me moaning I think dh would put up with it but thankfully 2 is all I have ever wanted and could not face this again! I could not have coped with less than a 2 year age gap just for my own mental health of coping with toddlers! Like others think school age would have been too long...maybe 3 when they can go to preschool. Seems a popular age gap- for me it was the right time work wise to have another break and then when I go back I can focus on that without knowing I will be having another year off at some point!

Waves at sleepy sorry you've not been great. Hope you get the rest you need

snow no experience of breach babies I'm afraid- is this spinning babies site any use?

special camping??!! Are you mad??! No way would I be considering that any time soon! Hope you had a good time

Sorry to anyone missed ... online shopping put away so back to bed I think...

ickle rest up it seems we all react the same when we do more :( xxx